Attack on my convoy pre-planned by BJP workers: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait
Aligarh (UP), Apr 3: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait claimed on Saturday that the attack on his convoy of vehicles in Rajasthan's Alwar was "pre-planned by BJP workers" and said it should serve as a reminder to the farmers protesting against three new agriculture laws of the Centre about the travails and challenges they are going to face in the days to come.
Addressing a "kisan mahapanchayat" at Bhaimalkheda village in this Uttar Pradesh district, Tikait said such attacks "are, in fact, strengthening our resolve to further intensify our struggle, which is a battle for our existence".
Talking to reporters after the "mahapanchayat", he said, "We are mentally prepared for more such incidents."
Stones were allegedly pelted at the convoy of Tikait, an influential farmer leader, in Rajasthan's Alwar district on Friday, damaging the rear windshield of his car. Police had detained a student leader, who the BKU claimed belonged to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and accused the saffron party of being behind the attack.
Addressing the "mahapanchayat" here, Tikait issued a call to the protesting farmers to be mentally prepared to continue with their agitation at least till the end of the year, when they would taste victory.
He urged them to be mobile phone savvy so that they can be active on social media.
Tikait, who held a "mahapanchayat" in Aligarh for the first time after the farmers' agitation was launched in November last year, alleged that corporates had fully entrenched themselves in the present ruling dispensation, including the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
He said how else can one explain the construction of huge grain depots and godowns in several parts of the country "even before the controversial farm laws came to existence".
The BKU leader said this itself provides conclusive evidence of the government's intentions.
He warned the farmers that even more draconian measures are on the anvil as far as the farm laws are concerned, including stringent regulations regarding crop seeds.
Tikait alleged that under the proposed measures, farmers would be liable to be bound by pernicious terms and conditions, which would place them at the mercy of the seed-selling firms.
He said the three laws would make it impossible for the farmers to enjoy the right to use the seeds of their choice and frustrate them to such an extent that they would be compelled to sell their land to corporates.
The twitter handle of Kisan Ekta Morcha tweeted on its microblogging site that, Indian democracy is almost dead! Inspite of farmers' stating that the fight is between Farm Laws & Govt. And not between religions, still RSS-BJP has done every effort to spread hate. Using heinous ways of attacking the farmers is not at all justified #Lashkar_e_RSS
Indian democracy is almost dead!
— Kisan Ekta Morcha (@Kisanektamorcha) April 3, 2021
Inspite of farmers' stating that the fight is between Farm Laws & Govt. And not between religions, still RSS-BJP has done every effort to spread hate.
Using heinous ways of attacking the farmers is not at all justified#Lashkar_e_RSS
From the day, #FarmersProtest has began, farmers & supporters are being continuously attacked, harassed & insulted by RSS-BJP.
— Kisan Ekta Morcha (@Kisanektamorcha) April 3, 2021
Its high time to stop the violence!!#Lashkar_e_RSS
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trump pauses Project Freedom, claims great progress for final agreement with Iran
Washington (PTI): President Donald Trump has suspended “Project Freedom,” to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming progress in negotiations with Iran toward an agreement to end the war.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said, “Great progress has been made toward a complete and final agreement with representatives of Iran.”
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump said.
Project Freedom was launched on Monday to escort ships, stranded due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, out to safety. Trump had announced the operation on Sunday and the US Central Command began implementing it the next day.
However, the Project led to friction in the vicinity of the narrow seaway, a key route for transporting one-fifth of the global oil supplies, with the UAE claiming that its ships were attacked by Iran. The US also claimed to have destroyed several Iranian small boats.
Trump’s statement on Truth Social came hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Operation Epic Fury, launched on February 28, had concluded as its objectives have been achieved.
"Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation. We're not cheering for an additional situation to occur. We would prefer the path of peace. What @POTUS would prefer is a deal... that is, so far, not the route that Iran has chosen," Rubio told a press conference at the White House on Tuesday.
On Project Freedom, Rubio said the goal was to rescue almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries who were trapped inside the Persian Gulf and left for dead by the Iranian regime.
"This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation, and what that means is very simple: there’s no shooting unless we're shot at first. We’re not attacking them, but if they're attacking us or they’re attacking a ship, you need to respond to that," Rubio said.
